pretend; feign; impersonate; use as pretext
Meanings
3 senses · 8 examplesverb
to decline by making an excuse; to plead pretext
Used when someone fabricates a reason to avoid an obligation or situation.
He excused himself by saying he had matters at home, then stood up and left early.
She declined the invitation by pleading poor health.
verb
to falsely claim; to impersonate; under false pretenses
Implies assuming a false identity, authority, or pretext to deceive others.
He signed the contract falsely claiming to be the manager.
The swindler impersonated government workers to carry out fraud.
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He sneaked into the venue under someone else's identity.
verb
to use as a vehicle or medium; by means of; through the form of
literaryUsed in literary or formal contexts, especially for fables, allegories, or artistic works that convey meaning through a specific medium.
Fables are literary works that use stories as a vehicle to illustrate moral principles.
This poem uses the deeds of ancient people as a medium to express the author's sentiments.
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The author used a dream as a vehicle to express the pursuit of ideals.